This reactor is not coming back anytime soon. Seawater and boric acid being pumped straight into containment area. http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/13_01.html
The inner containment is all steel and is intact. A hydrogen explosion blew out the outter containment walls which were steel and concrete. There is evidence of a partial core meltdown but they don't think the fuel itself melted. When the fuel itself melts the containment vessel usually collapses like Chernobyl.
Does anyone know if there will be an on line website to find missing people? Or a list of people found... http://japan.person-finder.appspot.com/ edit...my sister just e-mailed this link to me...for anyone looking for missing persons in the Sendai area
First meltdown confirmed in the press. Though we all knew the truth of this hours ago. http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20110312D12JFF03.htm well, except for makloda and atticus, and little red riding hood. the rest of us could read between the lines anyway.
NISA reported a partial meltdown 6 HOURS AGO. Core temps falling and lower rads says IAEA: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/12/us-japan-quake-iaea-idUSTRE72B3C520110312
Pretty impressive how orderly and calm the japanese reacted, especially considering the population density in the cities and that most of them are sleeping outside. If it were the US, you will have mass chaos and looting going on, with gangs shooting each other by now.
The reason it's not worse is that 90% of the nation still has power. But the lack of reported looting does not mean none has occurred; unless you believe the media are both omniscient and prioritizing that story over the death tolls and nuclear meltdowns.
The very overdue Wile E. Coyote correction has arrived and a substantial leg down has begun in my opinion. Recap of a Feb 16 post : Have been asked to give a concise summary of what I see ahead. When DOW/S&P500 etc. overdue correction commences, I expect: UP: US Dollar, various USDXXX currencies, VIX Index DOWN: EURUSD, AUDUSD, NZDUSD, GOLD/SILVER, Base metals like COPPER etc, CRUDE OIL http://stockmarket618.wordpress.com
Need a little more explanation to believe this event would cause the flight to quality will become dollars again and not gold. Also wondering how stocks turn negative with crude oil coming down. I'm thinking high vix, volatile dollar crosses, and up gold/commodities, especially oil and coal. in fact, coal might be the big winner here. those melted down fuel rods and those nuclear facilities are never coming back online, but Japan is not going to want permanent rolling blackouts. Coal power up, up, up I would think.